LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. —
I can't breathe ... my chest is heavy ... I'm so tired ... am I going to die? I thought, lying on a bed in a deployed medical facility thousands of miles from home.
In July 2008, I had my first near-death experience. It began as a nagging stomachache and a week later, progressed into a medical emergency. Following two hours of surgery, I woke with a 6-inch incision on my abdomen and one less fallopian tube.
Bad news: ruptured ectopic pregnancy
Good news: I awoke
I awoke because my fellow Servicemembers took an hour to donate blood at their military installations. The medical professionals used that blood to give me a two-pint transfusion, ultimately, saving my life.
You have the opportunity to give our brothers- or sisters-in-arms the chance to walk away, as the number one cause of death on the battlefield is blood loss. Join the Armed Services Blood Program tomorrow at the community center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., to donate.
For more information about the Armed Services Blood Program, visit
www.militaryblood.dod.mil.